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Government of South Australia Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board NRM Exploring the world around us. The best way to learn about the environment is to get out and explore it. Many adults who are now passionate about caring for our natural resources say their commitment stems from early childhood experiences. Interactive education programs are a key focus of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board. We offer a range of activities where the young - and not-so-young - can visit wetlands and estuaries, help monitor salinity levels and frog numbers... even become weed warriors. Find out more about NRM. If you have not logged on to our website lately, you will be surprised at the diversity of information and programs we offer to school children, families, community groups and businesses -- anyone who wants to get involved! As a starter, we can show how you and your family can make simple changes around the home that can make a real difference. Visit us now at www.amlrnrm.sa.gov.au www.independentweekly.com.au 6 The Independent Weekly frankly May 23 - 29, 2008 The Adelaide couple who look like winning SA Government approval to renovate the burnt- out shell of the former governor s summer retreat, Marble Hill, are well known Hills identities with a weekender at Basket Range. The couple, Dr Patricia Bishop and Edwin Michell, put in a win- ning proposal from 12 applicants after the government asked for expressions of interest in April last year. Dr Bishop is the daughter of Basket Range identity Doug Bishop. Her sister is Julie Bishop, the deputy leader of the Federal Opposition. She grew up on a cherry farm under the shadow of the ruins and she said the local children always thought it would be fantastic to rebuild the 26-room mansion. Her husband, Edwin, is a member of the well known Michell wool scouring clan whose fifth genera- tion members are still involved in wool but his trunk of the family tree moved out of the wool business a decade ago. They took a less sanguine view of the future of the industry prompting a sell-off of most of the Michell company s rural assets and a restructure of the business, which saw Edwin concentrate his energies on a private investment house, Michell Securities. Jettisoning the iconic business proved prescient as the Michell group has since broken up -- leather, rural and property assets sold off -- and the core wool business sold to a trio of junior Michells. Marble Hill is prevented from subdivision under the current agreement with the minister. The Michells plan is to convert the mansion into a boutique, upmarket, corporate function facility. Dr Bishop said she and her husband shared a love of state heritage and had restored a number of buildings and gardens -- includ- ing the Burdett Wildflower Garden at Basket Range -- although none of their projects were on the scale of Marble Hill. "Our immediate concern was that Marble Hill could fall into the hands of unsympa- thetic developers and the history and heritage of this site could be lost forever," Dr Bishop said during the week. Her view was that the best way to respect, preserve and interpret the natural and cultural significance of Marble Hill was the restoration and reconstruction of the main building, not just maintenance of the ruin. "For us, this is a project driven more by civic pride than by commercial objectives," Bishop said. The Independent Weekly put the following questions to Dr Patricia Bishop and Edwin Michell. What experience do you and Dr Bishop have in restoring historic proper- ties? We have restored two heritage listed properties and several stone cottages. Will the reconstruction follow the original plans for the house? Yes, we intend to use the original McMinn plans which are stored in the State Archives, but add obvious 21st century touches like electricity. Reconstruction will be under the guidance of a conservation architect and in consultation with DEH. Will you be living in the house once it has been done up? We plan to request development approval for mixed use of the property as a "low occupancy executive retreat" and "historic house museum". As a heritage listed property in the environmen- tally sensitive 6th Creek catchment area, allowed uses are limited. How long do you expect the restoration to take? We plan to have substantially completed the external reconstruc- tion of the main building within three years of development approval being granted. How much do you think the restoration project might cost? Too early to speculate. What is the consideration for the proposed purchase of the property? A market valuation will be determined by a licenced valuer. The Friends of Marble Hill are apparently a bit upset by the move by the government to sell the property. What steps will you take to get them with the program? Understandably, the Friends of Marble Hill were concerned that an inappropriate development may destroy the heritage values of the site, as were we, which is what inspired us to put in our submission. We were under a confidentiality agreement until the Heads of Agreement was announced by Minister Gago last Friday night. We met with many of the Friends that evening and they appeared pleased and relieved at the outcome. Rising from the ashesBill Nicholas Dr Patricia Bishop and Edwin Michell are hoping to win approval to renovate the Marble Hill mansion A rolling marble gathers no gloss Every government tries to seduce reporters into covering stories positively, even the negative ones. Most journalists are immune to such devilry, but not, it seems, not all.On 24 April, the Independent Weekly reported in an exclusive front-page story that the govern- ment had finalised secret plans to sell the historic mansion at Marble Hill, near Norton Summit. For 75 years the incomparable mansion and its expansive grounds were the summer resi- dence of SA governors. We revealed that state government wants to sell the property outright. Environment Minister Gail Gago refused to disclose her plans for the site or the identity of its prospective purchaser, but sources within her own depart- ment told the Independent Weekly the process was near climax. We reported last month that Cabinet was already in the know and wait- ing on government spin doctors to develop their PR campaign to counter an expected hostile public reaction. The government lobbying machine had every reason to be worried. Marble Hill is an iconic reminder of a time when the government was buying land, not selling it. We also reported that it s been lovingly cared for by the volunteer group, Friends of Marble Hill, which has spent tens of thousands of hours looking after it and opens it to the public every month. "Your story shook the place up," a departmental source said this week. "Ministers wanted to know who got you the information. They were really rattled you knew about the PR strategy." In the ministerial suites the public relations machine changed gear after our story appeared. "The department was getting cut off," the source says. "It was all turning into Labor propaganda." By now the Liberals were circling too. Shadow environment and heritage minister Michelle Lensink passionately believes the mansion should stay in the public realm and under a Liberal government she d declare it a historic site. Ms Lensink didn t want Marble Hill surrounded by 'Keep Out signs, and Labor didn t want a political barney. Last week the government PR strategy worked a treat. According to one account it went like this: a government lobbyist approached a News Ltd journo and offered him an exclusive. The reporter fell for the ruse. Sure enough, the lobbyists got their dream run on Saturday, the week s largest-selling edition. Deal signed for restoration, read one headline. Marble Hill to rise from ruin, said a second in the same story. The News Ltd story didn t speak to any opponents of the sale nor to the Friends of Marble Hill group. It didn t mention Ms Lensink or the Liberals. It was a pro-government story from intro to the final full stop. Only after the government s spin appeared in News Ltd did the Minister announce the sale to other media. "OK, so we pulled it off," a normally-modest member of the government PR machine said on Wednesday. "That s what we re paid to do. Don t blame us." But this is not the end of the story. The Liberal Party is itself being lobbied now in an attempt to weaken its resolve. Furthermore the Heads of Agreement says Marble Hill s current value is $815,000. That s not bad for what some reckon is the most spectacular 22 hectares of real estate, complete with ruined mansion, anywhere close to a capital city in Australia. The view spans from Mt Lofty and beyond Echunga to the south, Forest Range to the east, Barossa Range beyond Pt Wakefield to the north and the Gulf to the west. Expect some questions in parliament, and some more government lobbyists spinning. Hendrik Gout LOBBY WATCH